The peaceful Hamlet of Taliaris sits in the Towy Valley, about 3 miles north of Llandeilo. Taliaris was home to the Peel family, relatives of the late Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel, and two of the sone of the house died during the Great War. The War Memorial, as befits such a great donating family, is an impressive structure, with marble panels bearing the names of the fallen. Many thanks to Dave Hanson for supplying the photo of the Memorial, and for sharing his research.

Taliaris War Memorial

The Great War, 1914-1918

Henry Jones, Private, 474271, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Henry Jones was born on the 21st July, 1884 at Bankygwin, Llangadock. His parents were William and Gwenllian Jones. Henry migrated to Canada, and it was at Saskatoon, Canada, on the 3rd April, 1916 that Henry Enlisted into the Canadian Expeditionary Force. His age was given as 31 years & 8 months. Henry was enrolled into the 72nd Battalion (British Columbia), with the number 474271. The 72nd Battalion formed part of the 12th Brigade, 4th Canadian Division. Henry was shipped to Europe, where his Battalion were being readied for the Battle of the Somme. On the 16th November, 1916 whilst fighting in the Battle of the Ancre, Henry was killed. He remains buried in Aveluy Communal Cemetery Extension-in the Ancre Valley.

 

John Jones, Private, 46533, Welsh Regiment. John was the son of Hannah Jones and the late Thomas Jones, Pwllau, White Square, Taliaris. He was born around 1886. John was a Private in the 9th Battalion of the Welsh Regiment, with the Service Number 46533. The 9th Welsh formed part of the 58th Brigade of the 19th (Western) Division, and they took an active part in the latter stages of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, before moving to Ypres. John was killed in action during the Battle of the Menin Road, on the 21st September, 1917. His body was lost on the muddy Flanders Battlefield, and so he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing.

 

Alan Ralph Peel, Second Lieutenant, Nigeria Regiment. Alan was born on the 7th July, 1886, the son of Herbert & Mary Peel of Taliaris. Alan attended Sandhurst, from where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the South Wales Borderers. Upon the outbreak of the Great War, Alan was a Captain in the 5th Battalion of the Nigeria Regiment. They formed part of the Western Frontier Force, and they fought a ruthless war in South Africa against the Germans. Alan was killed in action at Karonga on the 17th November, 1914 aged just 28. He is remembered on the Zaria Memorial.

 

Robert Lloyd Peel, MC., Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery. Robert was born at Taliaris, Llandeilo on the 11th June, 1889, the third son of Herbert & Mary Peel of Taliaris. After his education at Malvern College, he settled at Madupatti, India in 1909, where he ran a tea plantation. At the outbreak of war, Robert returned to England, where he obtained a commission into the Royal Field Artillery on the 23rd December, 1914, as a Second Lieutenant. He served in Gallipoli from August, 1915, and served there until after the evacuation, when he returned to Egypt and then to France in July, 1916. In France he served with the 58th Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division. The Division were fighting during the Battle of Passchendaele, near Poelcappelle, when Robert died of wounds sustained that same day, on the 3rd September, 1917. He lies in Bard Cottage Cemetery, near Ypres. He had been awarded the Military Cross (London Gazette 21st December, 1916) for conspicuous gallantry in action, when he and a sergeant rescued several men from a burning gun pit, and extinguished the fire.

 

Herbert Pritchard Thomas, Private, 53067, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Herbert was born around 1879 near Llandeilo. He was the Son of William and Jane Thomas, of Llandilo, Carmarthen, and the Husband of Mabel Thomas, of 1, Standard Villa, Tre-Thomas, Bedwas, Mon. Herbert enlisted at Newport into the 1/5th Battalion, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who formed part of the 158th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division. The Division fought at Gallipoli and Egypt during the Great War, and it was while after brought to Hospital in Italy that Herbert accidentally drowned on the 4th May, 1917. He was buried in Oneglia Town Cemetery, and was aged 38.

Thomas Rees Thomas, Private, 39304, Suffolk Regiment. Thomas was born around 1899 near Salem, Llandeilo. He was the son of David and Elizabeth Thomas, of Pantsoar. Thomas enlisted at Lambeth into the 2nd Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment, who formed part of the 8th Brigade, 3rd Division. This was a regular Army Division which had been in France since the war began. They fought throughout the war on the Western Front, and in early 1918 were holding the lines in Northern France when the Germans launched Operation Michael-their last great offensive of the war. Thomas was to die of wounds on the 4th April, 1918 during this terrible time, when the Allies were fighting a fierce defensive action on the line from Ypres down to the Somme. He is buried in Pernes British Cemetery.

 

Joshua Williams, Private, 633812, London Regiment. Listed on both the Taliaris & Talley War Memorials, Joshua was born in November, 1886, and worked as a Draper, residing at Ty Coch, White Square, Taliaris, Llandilo. Joshua enlisted on the 18th November, 1915 into the 15th Battalion, the London Regiment, with the Service Number 6132. On the 5th July, 1916 Joshua embarked with the Battalion for France, where he transferred to the 20th Battalion, London Regiment, attached to the 141st Brigade, 47th (London) Division, his number changing to 633812. The Division fought on the Somme that year, through the Battles of Flers-Courcelette and Le Transloy, where they captured Eaucourt L’Abbe, and attacked the Butte de Warlencourt. Joshua took ill after these actions, and was admitted to the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Boulogne with influenza. On the 2nd November he returned to England, and spent the next few months at the 2nd General Eastern Hospital, Brighton. Joshua was discharged from the army on the 26th June, 1917 owing to ill health, and was transferred to Beechwood House Hospital, Newport, where he sadly died on the 17th September, 1917 suffering from Cardiac Failure. He is not commemorated on the CWGC or on SDGW, so more research is needed to find where he is buried.